Have you ever noticed the broad, round leaves lying on the ground around Hamanasi? Meet the Seagrape tree, Coccoloba uvifera, one of our coastline’s quietest and most vital protectors.
While these beautiful native trees are wonderful for providing cool shade on a warm afternoon, they play an important role in Hamanasi’s thriving ecosystem:
- Shoreline Guardians: Their strong, sprawling root systems help stabilize our beaches, acting as a natural defense against coastal erosion.
- A Wild Sanctuary & Buffet: They create crucial shelter and nourishment for local wildlife. Birds and other land dwellers—like parrots, agoutis, coatimundis, and iguanas—love to feast on their ripe fruit, leaves, busy ants and other insects found on their sturdy branches.
- Sea Turtle Protectors: During nesting season, their dense foliage acts as a natural light barrier. By reducing artificial light distractions from the resort, they help ensure mother turtles and hatchlings can safely find their way to the ocean.
A Taste of Belizean Tradition: Seagrapes get their name from the heavy, hanging clusters of edible fruits they produce. Since seagrapes are dioecious (meaning they are either male or female), only the female trees produce this seasonal bounty. While they aren’t true grapes, they are often compared to sweet muscadine grapes. Locals love to enjoy them fresh, cook them down into artisanal jams and jellies, or ferment them into seagrape wine — a beloved Belizean specialty.
